#1 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event (up from #4)
The four-day food frenzy is at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre’s North Building again in 2016, expecting 45,000 guests to sample more than 1,500 wines, beers, spirits, and gourmet foods. Mott’s returns to host the Best Caesar in Town competition. Next: November 17-20, 2016
#2 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
The event, once known as the Good Food & Drink Festival, turns 25 next year and returns to the Enercare Centre at Exhibition Place. Highlights from 2016 include the Canadian Cheese Counter, sponsored by Dairy Farmers of Canada, and Food Truck Alley. Next: April 2017
#3 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event (up from #6)
The authentic Asian night market turned 15 in 2016 and hoped to draw more than 120,000 nocturnal foodies over three nights. This year’s charitable partner was homelessness advocate Raising the Roof. TD Canada Trust remained the title sponsor. Next: July 2017
#4 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
As craft beer grows in popularity, so does the three-day festival, which expected to host 32,000 suds-lovers at Exhibition Place’s Band Shell in 2016. Headline musicians this year included House of Pain and Big Sugar. Club House joins as a sponsor. Next: July 2017
#5 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
Attendance at the influential symposium grew by about 30 percent in 2016, attracting 1,000 chefs, sommeliers, restaurateurs, and writers to the Art Gallery of Ontario. For the first time, full-day and half-day tickets were sold, and sponsors included Muskoka Brewery and Serrano Imports. Next: April 2017
#6 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
More than 14,000 chefs, owners, managers, and buyers attended the industry event in 2016, which featured 975 exhibits, 12 pavilions, and 150 presentations. Sponsors included Stella Artois and Ciroc. In 2017, the show celebrates Canada’s 150th birthday. Next: February 26-28, 2017
#7 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event (up from #10)
The newcomer with international cred grew again at its third edition to an estimated 25,000 attendees feasting on 60,000 dishes from the city’s best restaurants at Fort York’s Garrison Common. American Express Canada and Eithad Airways were sponsors. Next: June 2017
#8 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
The street party and food festival grew to 1.65 million people in 2015 with an economic impact of $88.1 million, according to organizers. Krinos remains the title sponsor for 2016, when 20th Century Fox presents Hollywood on the Danforth and the sports zone returns. Next: August 5-7, 2016
#9 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
Attendance at the Caribbean food festival is expected to climb to 80,000 this year following a dip in 2015, when the Centennial Park event became ticketed instead of free. OLG Slots at Woodbine Racetrack joins Grace Foods as a sponsor. Next: August 5-7, 2016
#10 Food, Wine & Hospitality Industry Event
Rainy weather caused crowds to shrink to 37,600 in 2015 but organizers are hoping for a boost in 2016 thanks to vegan and vegetarian burgers, hot dogs, and cupcakes. Sponsors include online craft marketplace Etsy and Harbourfront Centre. Next: September 9-11, 2016
